Captives
by Kimmy Malfoy
Summary: COMPLETED! A trip into the 16th century to fix everything JC, PT - Entered in Anne Rose's Launching Pad contest- come vote for me starting March 3!
1. It begins

A trip in time- 16th century to fix everything

They were watching her. Their eyes burned into her soul as she paced back and forth on the shore. The landscape was beautiful, the sea a luscious teal and the beaches as white as snow. Her feet dug into the sand as she watched him, jealousy burning a hole in her stomach. She wasn't supposed to feel this way, he was nothing more than a co-worker, or was he? He kissed her cheek and she slapped his arm in a most playful manner. He didn't even know her that well, she was one of _them_. She bit her lip to restrain a grunt of anger. _Klingon's don't get jealous_, she thought. Her eyes moved away from the philandering Tom Paris. In her mind, he was nothing but a cheating scoundrel, but in her heart, she knew that one look from him was enough to make her heart skip a beat. _Klingon's don't get jealous!_ Her mind shouted at her and she turned away from Tom and looked toward Chakotay. 

They'd all needed shore leave badly. Even the kid was getting testy. Harry had flipped at him earlier that morning, something about replicators and doctors and monkeys. He knew the kid had been under a lot of stress lately and was glad to see him taking a load of and chatting with the native women. They were interesting looking, distinctly human looking, but not. Their skin was a deep brown and their hair a dark blond with purple color interlaced in the strands. They were exotic, and their attention to Tom and the other males on Voyager was welcomed. Thank God this time there _were_ men on this planet… and the women didn't kill them, at least it didn't seem like it… Tom forced his thoughts in another direction and smiled at the woman who was gently stroking his chest.

Chakotay watched Tom and B' Elanna as he sat on the beach reading a novel. The edges were worn, the binding barley holding together, but he devoured the novel none the less. The story about the English queen and her court favorite intrigued him to no end. Kathryn had given him the novel, _Elizabeth and Robert_ for his birthday way back when their journey was but a few weeks old. It had been a gift of friendship. Robert Dudley showed undying loyalty to Queen Elizabeth and Chakotay new it had been a thank you for the immediate loyalty he showed to her. He looked into the sky as the wind ripped a few pages from his novel. He placed the remainder of the book on the blanket and moved quickly to catch the flying pages. 

Kathryn sat in her room, content with the well deserved shore leave for her and her crew. They had been getting rather antsy and they deserved a break from humdrum of Starfleet, yes even she thought so on occasion. She picked up her book and placed her coffee mug back on the table. _Horatio Hornblower_ was calling her and so she sat back in her chair listening to Chopin and content reading the novel Chakotay had given her a few years ago. It was a shame that their friendship had hit such a rock, a barrier that they were stuck at. Part of her wished she had the pocket watch, that she had kept the rose… But she hadn't and she sighed remorsefully. She moved to cross her legs, but her knee knocked against the table and her coffee mug fell to the floor. She placed her novel on the table and moved to clean up the mess. Suddenly a bright light blinded her as she smacked her head against the desk.

As B'Elanna looked towards Chakotay a blinding light slammed into her eyes and she fell back onto the sand. 

Tom looked up at the beauty massaging his chest, but there was only a flash of white light to blind him as he saw Chakotay attempt to shield his eyes as well. 

The colors swirled about her as she stood mesmerized by the fascinating display before her. Ladies dressed in the finest silks, bright hues and with the most excellent jewelry and ornamental hair that twirled with them as they danced. The men too looked, well, rather silly. They wore puffy pants, rather unique vests and obnoxiously colored tights. She tried not to laugh, but her enthusiasm was curbed as she realized that she was no longer wearing her Starfleet uniform, but rather one of the big dresses, tight as anything at the waist, but rather large at the bottom and not to mention itchy. She reached to scratch her back but as she did, she noticed that her hair had been pinned up and she was wearing a diamond necklace that sparkled in the light. The rather perturbing thing that gnawed at her more than anything else was that she swore that she saw Tom… Yes she was right, there was Tom, dancing with a blond none the less. She wanted to walk over and smack him, but someone touched her shoulder "Milady" a tall gentleman spoke "Would you care for a round?" Before she could protest B'Elanna found herself on the dance floor eye to eye with Tom Paris. 

"Tom, what's going on?" she asked as the dance ended. "I don't know…" B'Elanna groaned as she saw Tom throw a glance at the blond that he had been dancing with before. Tom had the funny pants and tights on that she had seen on the rest of the men. "I think B'E that we're stuck on Earth in the 16th century, I think we're either in England or something and there is a big party. Let's just play along…" He grabbed her arms and twirled her around. "Tom…" her voice warned him of impending doom "That my lady is Sir Tomas and you are Lady Isabelle…" She smiled and laughed. She would play along, at least till the end of the party. "By the way, I saw Chakotay here not to long ago, but he just vanished" He peaked her interest at that moment "Tom I think I saw him too…" As they danced around B'Elanna couldn't help wonder what was going on, but she forgot about it and enjoyed the party.

Kathryn squirmed as the women circled around her all holding a various piece of what she hoped was not her clothing. She was already wearing a tightly laced bodice around her middle that uncomfortably pushed her chest up. "God and I thought Starfleet Dress Uniforms were painful…" she thought as the rather large one named Bettina approached her with a brightly colored something or other that she knew was going somewhere on her body. She groaned in frustration. They'd been at this for what seemed like hours and Kathryn was getting antsy. Apparently, as she had been informed by another woman named Kat, today was a "very special day for the princess…" who was indeed her, and apparently she was not any old ordinary princess, but now the "Queen of England". Kathryn wondered if this woman was delusional. "Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought" she reached to feel for a bump, but rather found a large mass of hair. In a state of panic, Kathryn kept tapping her head, feeling for where her short hair had gone. She began to grow nervous, where was she? She knew who she was, or so she thought. "Just think this morning I was drinking coffee… those were the good old days…" she thought as a parade of fat ladies began to assault her with more clothes and jewelry. "Oh God" she muttered. 

Chakotay was lost in a sea of bright colors as he tried to spot Tom Paris again. He knew he saw him with a blond, but that was nothing new, except that Tom was dressed just like him. The pants were enticingly uncomfortable, they bunched and the tights that he wore underneath irritated him even more. He never knew that there was anything more uncomfortable than a Starfleet Dress Uniform, if they got out of here, this would be an excellent report for Starfleet. "Puffy Pants More Uncomfortable than Starfleet Dress Uniforms" He laughed to himself as he quickly exited the hustle and bustle of the party. He needed some fresh air, and some time to think. He recognized the dress of the people that surrounded him, but he wasn't able to place it. He saw the costumes in his Starfleet history book. Furrowing his eyebrows he sat on a window sill to think. A few minutes passed and he still had gotten nowhere with his dilemma. He bumped his head on a ledge as he stood up. Elizabethan, England! That was where he was. But the question was who was he? There was no way that he would be called Chakotay here… He walked further down the corridor observing his surroundings. He wondered if this was one of Q's little games, but it didn't seem like it… there was no Q anywhere. The further he walked the darker and quieter it got, that was until he heard a voice. "Dear, you must wear this…" and then another, one he recognized. " No! I already cannot move, don't you think that I'll put on another one of those, those _things!_"… "But your majesty…" the first voice pleaded. " When I give an order I expect it to be followed, and I order you as your queen to take that _garment _out of my sight." Stalling a laugh, Chakotay went to check on Kathryn. 

She listened closely as the voice of the singer infiltrated through her closed door. She had finally given in and allowed the women to dress her, but as she looked out the window, watching the drops caress the stones that formed the castle she lost herself in thought. 

Why was she here? Why did the women think she was the queen? Did she have that much of a resemblance to the great Queen Elizabeth Tudor? She shook her head in disbelief. There was no way that she looked at all like the queen. Her hair was… Kathryn stopped her thought as she heard a faint knock on the door. She figured she might as well play along with the game as long as it kept her out of harms way. 

"Come in…" she called, and with a flourish of music in walked Chakotay. 

He observed his Captain and friend as she looked not at him, but out the window. She was dressed in a beautiful red and golden hued gown with her gorgeous hair arranged in a most intricate style. He barley recognized her as she turned to face him. In the glow of the candlelight he noticed that she was adorned with sparkling jewels and on the top of her head rested a dainty, but elegant crown. His breath caught in his throat as he went to speak. He had never seen Kathryn look so lovely. The words of the singer filled the room as her eyes locked on him.

_Alas my love you do me wrong  
To cast me off discourteously;  
And I have loved you oh so long  
Delighting in your company.  
_He walked slowly toward the window and he gently sat down next to her and he could hear the rustle of her gown as she moved, deliberately distancing herself from him. _  
Greensleeves was my delight;   
Greensleeves my heart of gold  
Greensleeves was my heart of joy  
and who but my lady Green sleeves.  
_She looked up at him and in the light she could see he too was adorned in the costume of the late 1500's. She spoke first… "Am I dreaming?" He looked at her, surprised. "No…" he replied softly. She turned away from him and rested her head in her hand. 

"Chakotay…" she looked over at him seeking his response. He mumbled a bit of a response as she began, never looking at him, just out the window. As she finished her tale of women and clothes, accompanied by various chuckles by Chakotay, they lute sounded its final chord and the singer's voice could be barley heard as the rain soaked the English country side._  
I have been ready at your hand  
to grant whatever thou would'st crave;   
I have waged both life and land  
your love and goodwill for to have._

They looked up and into each others eyes, unwilling to move and ruin the moment. Rather abruptly, a plump lady swung open the door. "Mistress Elizabeth!" she shrieked as Kathryn and Chakotay both stood at the same time.  "What do you endeavor you are doing?" Kathryn bit her lip to prevent her smile escaping at the sight of the red faced maid that stood before. "I was but listening to the rain…" she managed to choke out before she gave a un- ladylike grunt of laughter. " Master Robert…" she looked over at Chakotay and pointed her finger. "Did Lord Cecil not make it clear that you were to be at the ceremony? Get out of here!" Kathryn looked wide- eyed at Chakotay, and with a slight wave of her hand shooed him out. As the maid continued to scold Kathryn she looked over at Chakotay and mouthed. "Meet me here later". He smile as the rain pounded against the stone.

Tom was getting tired of dancing. He wanted nothing more than to escape with B'Elanna and take a walk around the gardens, but the rain made that impossible.  He twitched in his pants. It had been quite an interesting evening. Everyone was waiting for, apparently Queen Elizabeth, it was the night of her coronation and he found that these English folk were rather fond of addressing him as Sir Tomas and Be as Lady Isabelle. He wondered what exactly was going on as B'Elanna grabbed his arm. "See Tom! Look, there's Chakotay…" They moved toward their friend as he was rapidly surrounded by women. "Hey, I thought I was the chick magnet…" Tom whined as he was rewarded with a rather painful jab from B'Elanna's elbow. The group of ladies parted as the pair approached Chakotay. One of them spoke to another "I was disappointed when Sir Tomas married Lady Isabelle, but it is very nice to see the fresh faces at court…" The smaller one responded with a giggle "especially Sir Robert's" the two shifted to B'Elanna's side as she approached Chakotay. "Hi there stranger…" she muttered as Chakotay turned rather startled. " B'Elanna, Tom!" she took Tom's arm and the trio began to exchange stories of their adventures. 

"Lady Isabelle, Sir Tomas…" Chakotay laughed as they told him their "names". "We'd better use them so we fit in, I'd rather not like to be beheaded by the queen, she did that you know…" Tom joked as they walked down the corridor toward the gardens. The rain had stopped and they amicably agreed that it was time for a walk. "I don't think she'd do that Tom, I've met her and she seems rather partial to me…" 

"That's because Robert Dudley was her court favorite, I read your book Chakotay" B'Elanna interjected. 

"Robert Dudley? I thought that he was a traitor…"

"That was his father and the queen loved Dudley very much…" Chakotay stopped himself as a wicked and mischievous smile spread across Tom's face. "Wait a minute, if I'm Sir Tomas and B'E is Lady Isabelle and we're married and your closest friends, say Chakotay, did the queen happen to look like, well say, Captain Janeway?"

"Yes, it was her…" 

Kathryn watched as the rain slowed. There was no way that she could be Queen Elizabeth, this had to be a joke, and the maid had called Chakotay "Sir Robert", did she mean Robert Dudley, Kathryn shook her head in disbelief. If she was Elizabeth that would mean she would have to be in love with _him_, Robert, Chakotay, whoever he was… _Aren't you Kathryn…_she asked herself _aren't you in love with his smile, his laugh, the way he warms your frigid hands at dinner, his eyes and that tattoo, the way his chest feels under the gentle touch of your hand. Damn! _She chastised herself.  _You certainly have it bad Kathryn…For God's sake, when he would look at you on the bridge; you have to fight to remember how to breathe. _ Her dress caught under her foot as she moved toward the door of the room. "Milady, where are you off too?" She looked at the frail figure before her, she looked so familiar… "I was…" Kathryn was at a loss for words, the face was so damn familiar. "I was, well," _Shit, Shit! This isn't very queenly of me…_ "I was going for a stroll about the gardens, as it is still early and I am not expected at the celebration for a few hours yet." The pale eyes stared at her as she responded to the inquiry. "Then, if your ladyship permits, I would be honored if you would endeavor to allow me to join you…" Kathryn scrunched her forehead and raised an eyebrow. _Amy Rosebart Dudley…That's who she was…_ "Of course my dear Amy, of course" They exited as Kathryn heard the words of the lute player again in her head.   "_Alas my love you do me wrong, to cast me off discourteously; and I have loved you oh so long, delighting in your company."_ Kathryn knew the story of Elizabeth and Robin, and she sighed, it certainly wasn't a happy one. Her beautiful dress trailed behind her as the two women advanced outdoors.

The garden was beautiful, even though it was January. The evergreen plants formed a hedge around the small patches where the flowers would grow in spring. Kathryn smiled as she and Amy ambled forward. She heard laughter and recognized the voice. Tom_…_ then another, B'Elanna and finally Chakotay. Apparently Amy recognized their voices as well. "That sounds like Robert…" Kathryn stubbed her toe and tripped at the sweet lull of Amy's voice. It disgusted her. She was talking about Chakotay and just the thought of him with that skinny little blond… Kathryn grimaced as she saw Chakotay walking with B' Elanna and Tom. She decided that she ought to be the first one to speak. "Lord Robert, what a pleasure." Chakotay decided that he should show some respect to the queen, even if it was Kathryn. Her dress fluttered in the wind and he knelt and kissed her hand. Kathryn's heart jumped to her throat, as she caught sight of Tom and B'Elanna's smiles. "Come now Lord Dudley, this display is unnecessary…" Amy began to grow red in the face as Chakotay stood up and winked at Kathryn, flashing a dimpled smile. She felt her cheeks flush and her knees weaken as she fought to keep a crooked smile from finding its way to her lips. "Robert…" the frail voice of Lady Dudley emerged from behind Kathryn. "Do stop making such a scene." 

Chakotay and Kathryn ignored her as they continued flirting. He traced kisses up her arm, as he turned to see if B'E and Tom had left. Indeed they had, and Chakotay smiled. He was glad that they finally had some time together. But that other woman was rather annoying. Chakotay didn't care, until he saw her backhand Kathryn across the face, her ring slicing deep into the Captain's delicate cheek. Chakotay quickly stepped in front of Kathryn. Her hand clenched at the pain as Chakotay reprimanded the frail figure that stood before them. 

 "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kathryn could feel the heat of the blood trickling down her cheek and in that instant Amy flushed a deep crimson and a few tears welled in her eyes. "I am terribly sorry your majesty…"  Chakotay's eyes swerved toward Kathryn who was determined to keep a straight face, amidst the scene unfolding before her. She grabbed Chakotay's arm to restrain him. She looked over at Amy and cursed to herself. "Lady _Dudley_, she emphasized her last name, hoping Chakotay would get the message, this woman was his wife. The jealousy burned inside Kathryn, it seemed the more she grew to love him, the further out of her grasp he became. "My dear Amy, I am forced, for your actions to confine you to your chambers for the evening." Kathryn felt as if she was reprimanding a child, and it was fitting. Amy Dudley was at most twenty, and looking at her, Kathryn suddenly felt old, old and alone. 

As the young, frail Amy sauntered off to her bedchamber, Chakotay approached her. "What's going on Kathryn? Who was that woman…?" She was worried. Did he find Amy attractive? Just then out of nowhere came Q's son. Kathryn wanted to launch herself at him and slaughter him, but she managed to control her anger. Stupid Qs and their little mind games. As she touched her cheek she felt the blood had stopped and she quickly looked over to her first officer. "What is the meaning of this Q?" He smiled and began to laugh. "Dear sweet, sweet auntie Kathy, don't you see… this is just a fun little game, you and the big oaf over there, and that Klingon girl- even her little human boy, you all have a few issues to work out. Come on, the whole ship, and even the people in this little game know you are in love. So suck it up and get over yourself Aunt Kathy, you too tattoo boy. You two aren't getting out of here until you fix everything. Think of it as an early birthday present… or I could give you a watch." He sneered at the two officers. "If you didn't want to be my mother, the least I could do is to get you together with that man… lowly creature… Anyway, you have two more days, until Robert Dudley gets sent away to Scotland… so stay in character and I'll be watching. Get it together kids, or its just going to get harder from here on out.  Now where did lover boy and that temperamental Klingon get to?" He vanished as quickly as he appeared, leaving a very confused Kathryn and Chakotay, eyes locked. 


	2. It gets more complicated

The wind was brisk and cold as she stood outside, watching the clouds billow around her in the sky. The gusts of wind threatened to rip her dress, but she remained unmoving. She could feel the cold burning into her eyes, stinging her exposed flesh. She knew her lips were probably turning blue, and the clouds threatened to spill a fresh dusting of snow, but she did not care. This was all her fault, all the anguish and pain; she had caused him to feel it. As she reached up to wipe away the tears that the wind had caused, she felt the deep gash in her cheek, her ring inadvertently sliced deeper into her skin, causing the cut to bleed again. She looked down and gazed at the fresh dusting of white, watching as her red blood spilled onto the virgin snow. And just like everything else, it was her fault. Everything was spiraling out of control, and she felt so lost and confused about it all. What was she to do? The harder she tried to fix everything, the more twists and turns Q threw at them. The harder she struggled, the deeper she sank into her despair. It was all so entirely and utterly frustrating. She kicked the snow and walked further into the garden, no longer caring if she froze to death, some how she found that a more pleasant alternative at this point.

_Three Days Ago:_

How it happened she didn't quite know. They had been walking back to her room in the palace and she had tripped on the hem of her long gown. Not even realizing, she felt a hand grab her under the elbow, keeping her from falling. She remained unaware of his arm on hers, till it drifted slowly to her back. She leaned into his hand and slowed her pace just so he would leave his hand there a little longer. They could here the soft music emanating from the hall where the party was winding down and she watched as Chakotay kissed her hand and asked her to dance. A small smile spread across her face and as he twirled her she began to laugh like a little girl. Her dress swung around her in a brilliant swirl of color as her first officer continued to twirl her through the empty halls. The sound of their laughter echoed in the deserted area of the castle. As the dance became slower and the music more tender, their dance slowed to a stop. Chakotay placed her gently on the ground and she found herself lost in his handsome eyes. He gently lifted her chin, and as she titled her head, she felt his lips descend onto hers. The kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Her knees went weak; her heart felt as if it was going to explode…and she leaned up to deepen the kiss. There they remained, lips locked, bodies entwined until they could breathe no longer. As she looked up at him, attempting to catch her breath, she could say nothing, she didn't have to. The look in her eyes was enough for him to know how she felt. And like that there was a bright flash of light, and Q appeared, enraged. "That was too easy! This is not fair! You idiots! I was enjoying watching you pine over one another, very much so. And now you have gone and ruined my fun. We'll I guess we'll just have to change the game, make it a bit harder…" He grinned an evil little smile, and with a devilish glint in his eyes Chakotay was gone, and all that remained was a letter that Kathryn held in her hand. With her hands shaking, she could barley break the scarlet colored seal that graced the letter. There before her was a death warrant for Robert Dudley, for Chakotay, with her signature on it. He would die; she could not save him… The sky clouded over, and as she stood screaming to the sky, cursing Q for eternity, it began to snow.


	3. It is inevitable

Author's note: Wow- this thing is going to be very long story. Hang in there with it! Thanks for the reviews- and I'm not promising a JC ending- but you'll just have to wait and see. I actually don't know what's going to happen at this point in the story. Thanks for the reviews! Now- to boldly go! Oh and the song is Enya's…

_The Present: _

The blood trickled down her cheek as she let the wind sting her open wound. It all seemed so useless now, Q had won the game, and there was no way to save Chakotay. She had tried everything, everything within her power. But the charge of treason was too strong and Dudley was too hated in court for her to retract her order. They would call her weak, and pathetic, every day would be living hell for her, and she knew, eventually she and Chakotay would die anyway. There was no escape, only pain and suffering and she knew that Q was up there laughing at her. Laughing at her pain. As the wind whipped the snow around her, she fell to her knees letting the tears finally fall, leaving dents in the snow.

Tom had been walking in the castle when he heard a loud bang and in an almost surreal instant he had witnessed a most terrible incident. As B'Elanna clung to his arm they watched Chakotay being taken away, shackled, as the Captain stood unmoving, blanched a ghostly white. In her trembling hand she held a piece of paper and as the door slammed and Chakotay was gone, she dropped the letter to the ground and ran out of the castle. He thought she was going to save him, but B'Elanna had picked up the letter and as she read it out loud, he knew that the Captain was not going to be able to save the Commander. He would die. There was no way to stop it. He held B'Elanna as she cried, but he was more worried about the Captain. She loved Chakotay, not like a brother, or a friend, but only as a lover could. Her passion for him shook her very soul; he could see it in her eyes. He could see it in the way, no matter where they were, her hand always found its way to him… always. He saw in him too, and though he was jealous at first, he had come to accept that they were meant for each other. Kathryn could not survive without Chakotay, and Chakotay could not survive without Kathryn. As Kes had said it five years ago… the relationship between them was magical. As B'Elanna clung to him he watched the Captain from the window. As she collapsed onto the ground a song from the luteist could be heard from down the hall.  

_I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls  
with vassals and serfs at my side,  
and of all who assembled within those walls  
that I was the hope and the pride.  
I had riches all too great to count  
and a high ancestral name.  
But I also dreamt which pleased me most  
that you loved me still the same,  
that you loved me  
you loved me still the same,  
that you loved me  
you loved me still the same.  
  
I dreamt that suitors sought my hand,  
that knights upon bended knee  
and with vows no maidens heart could withstand,  
they pledged their faith to me.  
And I dreamt that one of that noble host  
came forth my hand to claim.  
But I also dreamt which charmed me most  
that you loved me still the same  
that you loved me  
you loved me still the same,  
that you loved me  
you loved me still the same. _

He stared out the window, the bars obscuring his vision. He was to die. He knew it, the guards had told him it was by order of the Queen, but he knew better. He knew it was Q. Everything was just too complicated now. There was no way out of this mess, at least not a way he could see. He only wished that Kathryn was with him, by his side, as he had always been beside hers. He wished he could hold her in his arms, kiss her, just one last time, just once before he died. He wondered if Q would let him die…

"Of course I would you feeble human, after all… what's one less measly little, pathetic creature… After all Kathryn turned down my father, what for you and your tattoo? Or was it the fact that you're such a cuddly Indian with all that extra weight? They sure didn't starve you in the Maquis." Chakotay could here Q's cruel laughter, his enjoyment at the pain and suffering of others. So it became clear to Chakotay that he would die. There was no escape from his doom. No way to save Kathryn from the pain, unless they could beat Q at his own game. _But I am watching you, so it will be harder than you both can imagine. _Q's laugh could be heard resonating through the continuum.


	4. Home

Author's Note: I got tired of this clogging up my folder in Microsoft word so I decided to finish it. And since my life hasn't been altogether cheery lately I have decided to just write and see what happens. Plus I want to get back to reading Pathways by Jeri Taylor. Sorry for the terse note, things at home have been really rough lately. Hope you like this anyway. Please leave me a nice review and make me feel better! I hope this isn't to anticlimactic.

The morning had come. And they found themselves back where they had begun, on the beach, upon the sand, back on Voyager. The Captain awoke from under her desk, smacking her head on the table harder than before. It had all happened so quickly. The execution, her rather desperate ploy to save Chakotay and the final defeat of Q Junior by his father in a most epic and spectacularly frightening duel. She rubbed the back of her head as she sat back in her chair in her ready room, turning on her monitor and beginning to speak.

"Captain's Personal Log, Stardate I have no clue. It seems that Q Junior is finally out of our hair, namely mine and Chakotay's. He dropped us into some sort of Elizabethan scenario, making me the queen and Chakotay her famous love Robert Dudley. It was a rather interesting simulation or execution game as he seemed to think. He even threw in Amy Dudley for kicks. Up until I think what was yesterday, the simulation was going as normal as a game for any Q goes. At least we were all still alive. That was until he had Chakotay taken to the Tower and locked up. He was supposed to be executed yesterday morning, but in all my glory and queenly power, I had run with twenty pounds of clothing to the Tower of London and in a most foolhardy way, threw myself on top of him. Of course as I soon found out that wasn't enough to stop an omnipotent being, and I was thrown across the room, hogtied and thrown into a little cell with Tom and B'Elanna."

"And so, there we stayed, all rather convinced Chakotay was going to die. The game had obviously become another one, a game of death. It was as he axe was being lifted that Q had stepped in, and reprimanded his son. They fought- argued at least- until Q Junior threw a flash of lighting- or something like that- at his father. And as they dueled, Chakotay had escaped and we were freed. As Q Junior lay dying- for his irresponsible actions, he looked up at me, Chakotay, Tom and B'Elanna and just laughed a most diabolical laugh. I'm sure Starfleet will have a field day with this entry. I haven't lost my mind, I promise, not yet at least."

"There was one more thing, a matter of pressing concern for me. I noticed that through out the entire simulation- if I can call it that- Commander Chakotay and I seemed to grow unusually close. And I can't help but wonder if he is still in love with me after all this time and if I'm in love with him and have been all along? I suppose that question will be answered another time, because I have to resume duty tomorrow. So much for shore leave. Janeway out."

She left her ready room, rubbing her eyes. As she entered her quarters, she flopped right onto her couch and was ready for sleep to claim her, uniform and all. Taking off her comm. she placed it on the table next to her. Just in case anyone needed her, but she'd kill them if they woke her.  She heard her comm. badge beep at her and she groaned.

"Chakotay to Janeway."

"Janeway here Commander…"

"Kathryn I think we need to talk."

"I agree Commander."

"Meet me on the holodeck?"

"Why don't you come to my quarters Chakotay?"

"If you want…"

"I do."

"I'll be right there, Chakotay out."

The door swished open as he walked in. She rose from her spot on the couch, and nearly ran to him. She grabbed him a fierce, loving embrace, and as his arms wrapped around her, she smiled, knowing she was home at last, and it didn't matter what century or place she was in, she had what she'd always wanted at last in her arms.

_I don't love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz  
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:  
I love you as certain dark things are loved,  
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.  
I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom and carries  
hidden within itself the light of those flowers,  
and thanks to your love, darkly in my body  
lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth.  
  
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,  
I love you simply, without problems or pride:  
I love you in this way because I don't know any other way of loving  
  
but this, in which there is no I or you,  
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,  
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close_.

- Pablo Neurda

I just love this poem! And this author- check him out he's fantastic!


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